English Basketball League
The English Basketball League (EBL) is a semi-professional and amateur basketball league in England. It forms the second-tier of competition below the professional British Basketball League. The EBL was established in 2003 by England Basketball to replace the former National Basketball League, and currently operates several men's and women's leagues in the British basketball pyramid, which is headed by Division 1. This is effectively seen as the second tier of men's basketball in the United Kingdom, along with the less celebrated Scottish Basketball League. There are numerous leagues underneath the Division 1 men's and women's leagues. With the lower leagues operating on a regionalised basis. Beneath the men's and women's national leagues is a junior structure for both male and female with leagues for under 18s, 16s, 15s, 14s, 13s. The England Basketball website contains all the relevant information There is no promotion and relegation between the EBL and the British Basketball League, which operates a franchise system. Despite this, many teams have in recent years made the step from EBL to the BBL looking for greater competition and more exposure. Senior Competitions English Basketball League - The men's competition is currently divided into four divisions, with Division 3 having two regional sections and Division 4 further divided into four regions. The women's competition is divided into two divisions, with Division 2 further divided into three regions. EBL Trophy - played for by all men's Division 1 teams. The teams play a round-robin competition followed by knock-out rounds. Patrons Cup - played for by all men's Division 2 teams on a similar basis to the EBL Trophy. National Cup - Open to all EBL teams and played on a straight knockout format at club venues with the final being held at a neutral venue. The 2009/10 finals were staged at Ponds Forge, Sheffield. National Shield - Open to all Men's teams in EBL Divisions 3 & 4 and run on a straight knock-out format with the final held at a neutral venue. Birmingham Mets won the 2010/11, 86-83, against Portsmouth City Smugglers at the Amaechi Basketball Centre in Manchester. The Play-offs - The top eight teams in each division compete for the season's final showdown and silverware. The top four teams have home advantage against the lower placed sides in the quarter-final (1st v 8th, 2nd v 7th, 3rd v 6th & 4th v 5th). In men's and women's Division 1, the semi-finals and final are held at a neutral venue in a Final Fours weekend. The lower divisions have only the final at a neutral venue. National Founders Cup - A round-robin competition organised on a national basis specifically for non-EBL clubs, i.e. amateur clubs who have not entered the national leagues. Teams Men's Division 1 Men's Division 1 team line-up for the 2011-12 season. *Bradford Dragons (Promoted from Division 2) *Bristol Flyers (2010-11 League Champions) *Brixton Topcats (2010-11 Cup Champions) *Derby Trailblazers *Leeds Carnegie *Leicester Warriors *London Capital *London Leopards *Medway Park Crusaders (Promoted from Division 2) *Reading Rockets (2010-2011 Trophy Champions & Playoff Champions) *Tees Valley Mohawks (Promoted from Division 2) *Westminster Warriors (Promoted from Division 2) *Worthing Thunder (Resigned from the BBL) Men's Division 2 Men's Division 2 team line-up for the 2011-12 season. *Birmingham Athletics *Birmingham Mets (Promoted from Division 3) *Eastside Eagles *Glamorgan Gladiators (Promoted from Division 3) *Hemel Storm *London United *London Westside (Promoted from Division 3) *Mansfield Giants *Sheffield Arrows *Team Northumbria *Team Solent (Promoted from Division 3) Men's Division 3 Men's Division 3 teams for the 2011-12 Season. North *Birmingham Lions *City of Sheffield Saints *Coalville Cougars (Promoted from Division 4) *Derby Trailblazers II *Huddersfield Heat (Promoted from Division 4) *Leeds Carnegie II *Loughborough Student Cardinals *Manchester Magic *Nottingham Hoods *Sefton Stars *Sheffield Sabres *Shropshire Warriors (Promoted from Division 4) *Stockport Falcons *Warrington Wolves (Promoted from Division 4) South *Bognor Pirates *Canary Wharf Baltic Staff (Promoted from Division 4) *Hackney White Heat *London Greenhouse Pioneers (Promoted from Division 4) *Newham (NASSA) Neptunes (Promoted from Division 4) *Oxford Brookes University *Plymouth Marjon *Sevenoaks Suns *Solent City Smugglers *Taunton Tigers (Promoted from Division 4) *UWIC Archers *Wellingborough Phoenix Men's Division 4 Men's Division 4 teams for the 2011-12 Season. North *Bradford Dragons II *Bradford Maroons (Relegated from Division 3) *Burnley College Blaze *Cheshire Jets II *Childwall Stars *Hull Wasps *Liverpool *Middlesbrough Lions *Mold Magic *Newcastle Eagles II *Oldham Titans *Rossendale Raptors *Stockport Falcons II *Tees Valley Mowhawks II Midlands *Birmingham Mets II *Bristol Flyers II *County Upper Suffolk Bulldogs *Coventry Crusaders *Derby Trailblzaers III *Ipswich Tomcats *Leicester Warriors II *Lincoln Stars *Newcastle-under-Lyme College Knights *Team Gloster *University of Northampton Trojans *Worcester Wolves II South *Barking Abbey Leopards *Brentwood Fire *Crawley *Ealing Phoenicians *London Feltham Warriors *London Uxbridge College Emperors *London Westside II *Reading University Rockets *Southend Scorpions *Southgate Academical Lions *University of Chichester Thunder *University of East London NASSA Women's Division 1 Women's Division 1 team line-up for the 2011-12 season. *Barking Abbey Leopards *City of Sheffield Hatters (2010-11 League, Cup & Playoff Champions) *Durham Wildcats *Leeds Carnegie *Nottingham Wildcats *Sevenoaks Suns *Team Northumbria *UWIC Archers Other club's websites * Bristol Storm Basketball Club * Derby Trailblazers * Kent Crusaders * Kingston Wildcats * Leicester Warriors * Sheffield Saints * Team Northumbria * Taunton Tigers See also *Basketball in England *England national basketball team *Great Britain national basketball team External links *Official site of England Basketball, including the English Basketball League 2 Category:Basketball in England Category:Women's basketball leagues in Europe